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Have seen cases like Dave said .
Also I think in the past a double staked dog, present on grounds, couldn't scratch from one stake and run the other. So they'd bring the crazy sob to line and pick him up hoping he'd be steady at the other stake.
I could be wrong about the scratchin thing but it came to mind.

Yep, usually Safety Issues for a certain dog, ex older or 3 legged dog andMud, unsafe water entry-exit, high strung dogs with water they can jump across, ditch running through the middle of a test, protruding pipe judges were warned about etc. People usually don't want to foot the vet bill for judges stupidity, or a $4 ribbon. Still they usually don't make it to the line unless they weren't there for the handlers meeting, where they could protest prior to start.

I once scratched all my dogs after an unpleasant judge incident but didn't feel the need to go to the line to do it .

Last edited by Hunt'EmUp; 05-17-2013 at 04:18 PM.

"They's Just DAWGS"; "I train dogs, Not papers"
"Hunting is a skill to be learned whether you do it early or late it still needs to be learned"

I have heard of many people doing this at agility trials to cure their creepy start line stays. If the dog values "the game" then being taken away from their "reward" seems to work for those that I know that have actually done it.

Had a handler do this maneuver recently in protest of another handler being dropped for talking to his dog after calling for the birds (bird #1 was flyer, handler blew duck call to start test, as soon as flyer station blew duck call, dog started to get antsy and handler commanded "Sit"). Co-judge and I informed him that he was out for a controlled break per the rules re: remaining silent after calling for birds. Second handler came up a number of dogs later, asked us why we dropped his buddy. We politely told him that it was due to a CB which is not allowed. He then came up, blew duck call, watched birds drop 1, 2, 3 then leashed his dog and walked off. Pretty small in my opinion. Not sure what point he was intending to make. Wasn't like it was a judgment call. The rules on this are very clear and the understanding of those rules should be blatantly clear to all involved I think.

There ARE a few judges out there that are so bad that I would consider picking up instead of running. In fact, a few I wish I had done this rather than being a "good sport" at the expense of my dog. In a couple of cases because the tests were patently un-safe, in others just because they were un-sound tests with no point in finishing or not.
BUT
It's a whole lot easier to avoid entering - IF you know they're going to do it.

My "list" is short, but firm.

Last edited by Keith Stroyan; 05-17-2013 at 06:27 PM.
Reason: Ship off course

Never watched marks and picked up dog to show up judges, but I have withdrawn from test and filed complaint with test committee and Orgs national office. Had a judge walk his dog right up in the face of working dog to see if dog was aggressive then on the water marks had you pull yourself out in the middle of small pond in deep water and run marks out of boat, this was swimming water pretty close to over your head or close too it and have dog pulled back in boat on each mark. I dealt with the dog in dog's face but running out of boat in deep water was a pretty unsafe and stupid thing to do..

True, but it's the only way for sure to teach your dog that just because he knows he is at a test doesn't mean he can get away with that behavior. What other correction can you make in that situation?

I may run another JH test or two for the sole purpose of turning around and going back to the truck when he starts his heeling dance and tries to drag me in and out of the holding blinds - which he does nowhere else. If I don't get it under control in the test environment it's eventually going to cost me some entry fees anyway.

There ARE a few judges out there that are so bad that I would consider picking up instead of running. In fact, a few I wish I had done this rather than being a "good sport" at the expense of my dog. In a couple of cases because the tests were patently un-safe, in others just because they were un-sound tests with no point in finishing or not.
BUT
It's a whole lot easier to avoid entering - IF you know they're going to do it.

My "list" is short, but firm.

If you think the judges are bad enough to warrant making your "list", why enter in the first place?

Last edited by stonybrook; 05-17-2013 at 08:07 PM.
Reason: Happily not a small man